1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of electric heating, and to the particular field of electrically heated vehicle components.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Ice-covered windshields are a constant problem in many areas of the country during much of the winter. Many people must add time to a commute in order to clear their windshield. Since clearing the windshield is an important safety concern, it is imperative that such an operation be as thorough as possible. This often requires a person to scrape ice from the windshield. This can be a difficult operation, especially if it is very cold.
Therefore, there is a need for a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner.
The art contains many examples of devices intended to clear ice from a windshield. These devices include heating the windshield itself as well as heated windshield wipers. However, all of the known devices have a drawback in that the wiper itself is not adequately heated. Generally, only the flexible portion of the wiper blade that contacts the windshield is heated. This works fairly well; however, even with a heated flexible portion, the wiper may not be totally effective because the amount of heat necessary to either free the wiper or to adequately clear the windshield is not available from the single source of heat.
While it might appear that simply increasing the amount of heat generated by a windshield wiper is a solution to the above-discussed problem, such is not the case since a great deal of heat may damage the flexible wiper blade. Therefore, there is a limit to the amount of heat that can be safely and efficiently generated from known heated windshield wipers.
Therefore, there is a need for a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner, yet does not endanger the flexible wiper blade portion of the windshield wiper.
In some conditions, it is cold enough where ice continues to form on the windshield and on the wiper even after the vehicle is warmed up and the windshield has been initially cleared. Under such conditions, the windshield wiper must continually clear the windshield. The wiper must thus generate sufficient heat to prevent ice from building up on the wiper during operation.
Therefore, there is a need for a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner and that can generate heat in a manner that prevents ice from building up on the windshield wiper during operation of the windshield wiper.
Since some climate conditions are so severe, it may be necessary to generate heat from a variety of directions and sources for the same windshield wiper. This requirement may result from severe cold or from a driving ice storm in which ice can accumulate on the wiper during driving and thus reduce its effectiveness. Many known heated windshield wipers have only a single source of heat and thus may not be fully effective during all conditions.
Therefore, there is a need for a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner that can be effective under nearly any climate condition.
Some known heated windshield wipers are very difficult and expensive to replace due to the circuitry associated with the wiper. In fact, some wipers must be entirely replaced, including the entire wiper blade structure, including the carrier bows, due to this problem. This can be expensive and, in some instances, require the services of a skilled mechanic thereby further increasing the costs. The cost problem has inhibited the commercial acceptance of heated windshield wipers. Since a heated windshield wiper can be such a safety factor, it is important to encourage the use of such equipment.
Therefore, there is a need for a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner and which can be easily installed and changed.
Still further, since windshield wipers often must function and operate under severe weather conditions, some known heated windshield wipers may be subject to failure. Ice can become lodged in some electrical connections thereby vitiating, if not totally eliminating, the heating function of the wiper blade.
Therefore, there is a need for a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner and that can continue to function and operate even if a portion of the device fails or become impaired.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner, yet does not endanger the flexible wiper blade portion of the windshield wiper.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner and that can generate heat in a manner that prevents ice from building up on the windshield wiper during operation of the windshield wiper.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner that can be effective under nearly any climate condition.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner and which can be easily installed and changed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner and that can accommodate ice newly hitting a windshield as a vehicle is being operated as well as ice sticking on the windshield.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for clearing a windshield in an efficient manner and that can continue to function and operate even if a portion of the device fails or become impaired.
These, and other, objects are achieved by a heated windshield wiper blade unit comprising a wiper blade back element having a first electrical resistance heater system embedded therein, a one-piece flexible windshield wiper element having a second electrical resistance heater system embedded therein and spaced from the first electrical resistance heater element, electrical connections on the first and second electrical resistance heater systems, and an electrical circuit electrically connected to the electrical connections and connecting the electrical reistance heater elements together in parallel with each other.
The dual heating elements permit the windshield wiper of the present invention to generate sufficient heat to clear a windshield of ice under nearly any condition. Still further, the dual source of heat permits the windshield wiper of the present invention to keep itself clear of ice during nearly any condition. The windshield wiper of the present invention has simple male and female jacks to connect the wiper heating elements to a control circuit so the wiper is easily installed and changed when necessary. Furthermore, because there is a dual heat source in the windshield wiper of the present invention, the heat source in the flexible wiper portion of the windshield wiper is not required to generate as much heat as would be the case if that heat source were the only source of heat for the windshield wiper. Thus, if a great deal of heat is required, the flexible wiper portion of the windshield wiper will not be subject to a great deal of heat from the inside of that wiper blade portion. Thus, even though a great deal of heat can be generated from the windshield wiper of the present invention, there is little or no danger of damaging the flexible portion of the windshield wiper due to placing too much heat directly on that portion of the wiper.
Still further, since there are a plurality of different heat sources in the windshield wiper of the present invention, the wiper can accommodate ice from a plurality of directions. That is, ice hitting the windshield can be accommodated by the windshield wiper of the present invention while the windshield wiper can also accommodate ice generated on the windshield.